Transportation vehicle batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, operate optimally when kept within a target temperature range. Getting the battery quickly to, and keeping the battery within, the target range involves selective heating and cooling the battery, respectively.
Conventional vehicle battery heating techniques include close-coupling the battery near an engine, or adjacent a pre-heated heating element.
Conventional vehicle battery cooling techniques include positioning cooling fins on the battery. Another technique is pumping a cooling fluid, or coolant, from a holding tank to pass adjacent the battery.
While helpful, conventional techniques have shortcomings including taking up an undesirably high amount of space, high cost in some cases, and not heating or cooling as efficiently or effectively as desired.